Power management of network-connected devices in peak power periods

Abstract

A system and method are provided for managing network-connected devices in peak power periods. The method establishes a network of connected devices, identifying a first device in the network as an off-peak device, and a second device as a peak device. If a peak power warning signal is detected, the off-peak device is disabled, but not the peak device. Any job destined for the off-peak device from a source device is relayed to the peak device and processed by the peak device. If the job destined for the off-peak device is a job format associated with the off-peak device, relaying the job to the peak device may further include the operation of converting the job to a job format associated with the peak device. In one aspect, a destination change message is sent to the source device, indicating the location of the peak device processing the job.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method for managing network-connected devices in peak power periods, the method comprising: establishing a network of connected devices, each consuming power supplied by a power utility; identifying a first device in the network as an off-peak device; identifying a second device in the network as a peak device; detecting an electromagnetic waveform representing a peak power warning signal, where the peak power warning signal indicates a utility power rate increase; disabling the off-peak device in response to the peak power warning signal, but not the peak device; wherein disabling the off-peak device in response to the peak power warning signal, but not the peak device, includes: receiving an electromagnetic waveform representing a job destined for the off-peak device from a source device; relaying the job to the peak device; and, the peak device processing the job. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving the job destined for the off-peak device includes receiving the job in a first job format associated with the off-peak device; and,
 wherein relaying the job to the peak device includes converting the job to a second job format associated with the peak device. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein disabling the off-peak device in response to the peak power warning signal, but not the peak device, further includes sending an electromagnetic waveform to the source device representing a destination change message, indicating the location of the peak device processing the job. 
     
     
       4. A system for managing network-connected devices in peak power periods, the system comprising: a plurality of devices each having a network-connected interface and an interface to accept power supplied by a power utility, the plurality of devices including a first device identified as an off-peak device and a second device identified as a peak device; a power management module having an interface to accept an electromagnetic waveform representing a peak power warning indicating a utility power rate increase, and to supply an electromagnetic waveform representing a disable signal to the off-peak device; wherein the off-peak device is disabled in response to the disable signal; wherein the off-peak device, subsequent to receiving the disable signal, receives an electromagnetic waveform representing a job from a source device, and relays the job to the peak device; and, wherein the peak device processes the job. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4  wherein the off-peak device sends an electromagnetic waveform to the source device representing a destination change message, indicating the location of the peak device processing the job. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 4  wherein the power management module compares the power consumption of the devices in the network and supplies the disable signal to the device having the highest power consumption.